Vietnamese Sour Soup
Vietnamese sour soup, called "canh chua," is a staple dish in Vietnamese cuisine because it combines sweet, sour, and savory flavors in a delicious way. It's sour from tamarind, a bit sweet from pineapple, and savory from fish sauce. Fresh herbs like sawtooth or cilantro, along with vegetables like okra, celery, and tomato, add extra goodness. This soup is both delicious and comforting, representing a great flavor in Vietnamese food. Let’s try to make it today.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 catfish steaks/salmon
- Bean sprout (optional)
- 2 tomatoes
- Pineapple
- Orka
- Celery/Elephant ear stems
Fish Seasoning
- Salt
- Cayenne powder
- Black pepper
Broth
- 6 cups of water
- ½ tbsp Tom Yum paste
- ½ tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Garnishing
- Culantro and/or paddy herbs
- Green onions
- Fried garlic
- Fried shallot
- Red chili
Instructions
- Marinate the catfish with salt, cayenne powder, and black pepper for 15 minutes.
- Bring a pod of water to a boil and cook the fish for 10-15 minutes. Set the fish aside.
- Use the broth you cook the fish to make the soup. In the same pod, add Tom Yum paste, tamarind paste, sugar, and fish sauce. Stir to dissolve everything.
- Slowly add the vegetable of your choice: sliced tomatoes, pineapple, okra, and celery or elephant ear stems. You can adjust the quantity based on your preferences.
- Simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
- Add the fish back in and season to taste with salt.
- Garnish with chopped culantro, green onions, and especially fried garlic.
Notes
Notes: Be gentle with the fish, as catfish is very delicate and easy to break apart. This is why we cook them separately.
